Free Writing Fridays #033
Your 100 Word Story
A 2023 OPPORTUNITY
This weekend and next weekend ONLY, anyone who participates will receive 6 months comped and the next two winners will receive 2 FULL YEARS comped! It’s my way of saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!
Time to flex your writing skills and share your best 50 words to add to mine! Clock is ticking on this giveaway that ends at 10pm EST on Sunday, December 17th.
IMAGE PROMPT
What happens when you blow out the candle or when the candle goes out on its own? Tell the story.
A 100 WORD STORY COLLABORATION
[MY 50 WORDS]
They tore the house apart searching for a match. Their candle went out. Smoke swirled from the wick. Everyone began to panic. They only had one job to do this night; to keep the candle burning till daylight. If they don’t relight it soon then their children will be taken.
Write your 50 words to follow mine, then copy/paste them into the comments. Be sure to put “[My 50 Words]” first so I know it’s an official entry.
REMINDER: You don’t have to write your story just on Friday!
Free write all weekend long!
HOW TO JOIN THE COLLABORATION
I write 50 words (see above) then you write an additional 50 words.
My 50 must start. Your 50 must follow.
You have all weekend long to copy/paste your 50 words into the COMMENTS section of this post.
My 50 words will always use the IMAGE PROMPT as inspiration.
I will select my favorite 50 word addition to my story and share it in the following ways:
Substack Notes (you will get tagged as well)
Upcoming First Edition email on December 1st and January 1st (respectively)
If you are up for this challenge scroll to my 50 words BENEATH the IMAGE PROMPT! Good luck!
JUST WANNA WRITE YOUR OWN 100 WORD STORY?
Here’s how:
Write exactly 100 words. Not 99 or 101. The Word Count Police are tracking!
Genre? Writer’s choice! So long as you give us all the thrills and the feels.
To Fic or to Non-Fic? You decide. What matters most is that you’re satisfied with the output.
Copy/paste your words in the comments, then share on your own Substack, and maybe, share to social media!
A Note on Substack Notes | Click the 🔄 “Restack with a Note” and copy/paste your story for added reach and growth.
Great prompt, Erica. Here goes:
They tore the house apart searching for a match. Their candle went out. Smoke swirled from the wick. Everyone began to panic. They only had one job to do this night; to keep the candle burning till daylight. If they don’t relight it soon then their children will be taken.
Ravenous ghouls swirl outside. Otherworldly shrieks rise and fall on howling winds that skitter across the frozen lake. Drafts seep through unsealed sash windows, summertime laziness repaid in fear. Hastily-lit candles are snuffed by demons’ fetid breath. As her children scream, she knows the Witchfinder will punish her Candlemas neglect.
I'm going to see if I can continue your story, Erica. In the meantime, here's my own 100 word story from a letter I sent out earlier today
On or off
Like a light switch
Either, or …
Some days, I feel that I’m switched “ON”
The energy flows - I’m fully on it
I am lit
Some days, I feel like I’m totally switched “OFF”
Shit down. Disconnected. Powered down. Immobilised.
I am blown out
What if …
There’s a continuum? Or a mid way point?
Between on and off where I can embrace middle ground?
Perhaps today, I’m a dimmer switch
I’m turning the dial to half way
My energies and light are not too bright, not completely shut off
Softened, diffused but not extinguished
Balanced, steady
https://ofmappery.substack.com/p/a-softer-approach-to-life-mapambo